Winter Wienerland: Draper and Rueâs Snowy Adventures
Welcome to the Wednesday Dogs of Dogster! Every Wednesday, we share a story from one of our Dogsters. This week is about Meagan and her dynamic duo of dachshunds, Draper and Rue.
Winter in Canada can be a beautiful season, a time for snow-covered landscapes, warm, yummy drinks, and cozy times indoors, with endless debates over whether snow is a gift from the heavens or a frosty curse. In our household, this seasonal debate is personified (or puppified) perfectly by our dogs, Draper and Rue. These two pups, like in all things, could not be more different regarding their opinion of winter. For Draper, his tiny legs, barely able to conquer a staircase, now face piles of snow that might as well be Everest. His long, low body is a design flaw for frosty terrain. But Rue, the adventurous soul she is, sees no flaw in how she was designed and acts as though her low center of gravity means she can run down our icy, slippery backyard without ever losing her balance! And so, our frosty journey begins!
Rue: The Snow Queen
Let’s start with Rue, our pint-sized enthusiast of all things cold and fluffy. Rue adores winter with the unbridled joy usually reserved for children on Christmas morning. Despite her slender frame and lack of insulation—she’s more sleek greyhound than robust sausage—Rue bounds into the snow as if it were her personal playground. Cold? What cold? Rue barely notices. She treats sub-zero temperatures like an invitation to frolic.
My husband, always keen to indulge in Rue’s snow-loving antics, takes to the yard with a shovel after every snowfall. He carves out winding trails through the drifts, creating a dachshund-sized labyrinth that Rue treats like a racetrack. She zips through the paths, pouncing over the edges like a tiny deer, her long ears flapping with each joyful leap. Occasionally, she’ll pause to burrow her head deep into the snow, emerging with a frosty snout. Rue’s energy is boundless, and she insists on multiple outings daily, no matter how cold it gets.
